Saturday 24 August 2013

Victoria Embankment Gardens & The National Galleries

For this week's nice day out, I went up to London again. I was a little tired & didn't quite feel up to exploring lots of new places, so I decided to revisit some places & galleries I've been to before. First stop, the Victoria Embankment & Cleopatra's Needle.

 

Then I had a relaxing walk through the Victoria Embankment Gardens...


... I've had a lot of impromptu picnic lunches here over the years on my way in or out of central London, but I've never walked the whole length of the gardens or paid much attention to the statues and memorials dotted throughout them. It was very nice to take the time to stop and look at everything closely, to read all the inscriptions...

 

... and discover things like the fact that this gate at the edge of the gardens marks where the bank of the Thames used to be before the Embankment was built.

Then I walked to Trafalgar Square - looking at Nelson's Column, of course, ...


... but also taking time to look at all the interesting architecture around the square...

 

... and cracking bits of street furniture, like these intricate street lamps:


I went to a little exhibition of contemporary Inuit art at the Canada House Gallery which was rather interesting (I loved the sculptures).


Then I got out of the rain & went to The National Gallery for lunch (they sell some amaaaazing cakes)...

 

... and for a look at some of my favourite paintings. I've been to the National Gallery a lot over the years - one of the great pleasures of free galleries/museums is being able to go back again and again to revisit your favourite displays. And, of course, discovering new favourites on each visit!


Finally I went to visit some more old favourites at the National Portrait Gallery - the Early Tudors & Elizabethans galleries - & to see the pictures in this year's BP Portrait Award exhibition.

Excellent stuff all round.

3 comments:

Manu said...

Looks all amazing... and that street lamp!! I've never been to London, but I surely will go there someday. P.s. Love the blue rooster :)

Anita said...

Thanks for sharing those lovely photo's, thay are amazing. I haven't been to England, but I have seen many beautiful photo's of the spectacular buildings across the country. Just gorgeous.
Cheers, Anita.

Bugs and Fishes said...

Manu - the street lamp is amazing, isn't it? And that's just the base of it, the top was just as fancy! London is definitely worth a visit sometime, so much to see and so many of the main galleries and museums are now free entry which is great.

Thanks Anita, glad to hear you're enjoying the pics :)